Quick Compare: Microsoft Dynamics CRM Online vs. On Premise

If you’re reading this post, you’re probably at least beginning to understand that Microsoft Dynamics CRM is available in two separate versions, Online and On Premise. As a Microsoft partner that sells and supports Dynamics CRM, one of the questions we hear most often from prospective clients is, “How do I decide which version of Dynamics CRMis right for my business?” In an effort to help ease this confusion, I’ve created the table you see below listing simple criteria for you to consider. If the left side of the table most closely describes your situation, you are likely a good candidate for Microsoft Dynamics CRM Online. Or, if you identify more so with the right, On Premise is apt to be a good fit for you.

Choose Dynamics CRM Online if you:

Choose Dynamics CRM On Premise if you:

Do not want to invest in hardware and software license fees.

Want to pay only for what you need (users and storage space).

Do not have or plan to hire IT staff (in house or a local consulting firm) to maintain your CRM system.

Want to get your CRM system up and running in days, not weeks.

Have traveling staff members who need to be able to easily access CRM data when they’re away from the office.

Do not want to worry about backing up the system.

Have the budget to invest in the necessary hardware and software licenses.

Have dedicated IT staff or local consulting firm to help you maintain the system.

Already have solid data backup processes in place.

Don’t want access to your CRM data to depend on the availability or speed of your internet connection.

Need to use custom SSRS reports based on “TSQL and filtered views” data sets.***

* Dynamics CRM users are charged per GB of storage space they use. However, if this is the only thing keeping you from choosing Dynamics CRM Online, these costs can be mitigated by using a separate document storage solution i.e. SharePoint.